The Kurdish-led Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) launched an operation Wednesday against suspected Islamic State militants in the area in retaliation for an attack by the extremist group there last month, according to a statement.
Syrian Democratic Forces said they raided “dozens of potential points and hideouts” in the city Raqqa — formerly held by the Islamic State group — and the surrounding area, and arrested dozens of suspected ISIS members.
The U.S.-led coalition forces provided air cover and drone surveillance during the operation, the statement added.
The operation was in response to an ISIS attack on Raqqa in late December that killed six members of the Kurdish-led forces.
The SDF also announced formation of a “joint operations room” backed by the international coalition aimed at targeting ISIS cells.
The Kurdish-led forces in Syria regularly carry out joint anti-ISIS patrols with the U.S.-led coalition.
The patrols were temporarily halted late last year when Turkey launched a campaign of airstrikes against Kurdish groups in Syria in retaliation for a deadly November explosion in Istanbul. Ankara blamed Kurdish groups for the attack, an allegation the groups deny.